change of bodily appetites. This moral tafte is different from moral affections, and is the cause of them, or the preparation for them; and ftands in nearly the fame relation to the affections, as the will does to its volitions, except that the tafte governs both the affections, and the will, with its volitions.

the miniftry of Chrift and his apoftles, whom they perfecuted with extreme violence.

5. There may be, and there is in believers while in this world, two tastes, refpecting moral subjects, in direct oppofition to each other; one is pleafed with holinefs, and the other with the objects of finful pleasure. In the holy fcriptures thefe are diftinguished by the law of the mind, and the law in the members, or the new heart, and the carnal

3. This preparation to be pleafed or offended with moral things, which we call the tafte or the heart, or the difpofition of mind, (for these are synonimous words,) tho' by continual and repeated ob-heart. ervations, it is found to remain conftantly in the mind, is never in exercife, unless thofe moral objects with which it is prepared to be delighted or difgufted, are prefented to its view. The taste or heart lies dormant, as to these things, and produces no exercises of the affections, is neither pleased or offended, until called into action by the contemplation of the object with which it is prepared to be affected, that is, by moral things. Thus the wife virgins often flum. ber and fleep.

"I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is prefent with me: for I delight in the law of God, after the inward man; but I fee another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my members. So then, with my mind, I myself ferve the law of God; but with the flefh, the law of fin."-In all true believers the holy tafte is ftronger than the finful one, or the fupreme object in which it delights is fo infinitely fuperior to all the objects which please the carnal tafte, that if both were felt and realized by the mind, at the fame time, and in the fame degree, a decided preference would always be given in favor of holiness; for the mind is prepared to be more exquifitely delighted with God than with any finful gratifications. "Thou art my portion, O Lord."

4. When the divine character, or the object of the tafte is prefented, then it acts in proportion to its ftrength, the nearness of the object, and its being contemplated and realized with undivided attention. If the true character of God be bro't into view, and be feriously confidered, and the relations in which we fland to him and his government, appear real and interesting, there will be a great affection of love or enmity, according to the nature of the heart or tafte. And hence it is that the people of God are exceedingly is contemplated-the imaginableffed in beholding him, and his tion fired and the tafte ftrongly enemies become exafperated to excited, and God is either not madness, when God and his gov- thought of at all, or his glory is ernment are brought clearly into little contemplated; and in this view. This was the cafe underway the finful taste hurries the

But in certain circumftances, believers do actually serve fin, and the finful tafte prevails. At fuch times, fome object, calculated to inflame the finful tafte, is present

Thus | treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things." Thefe words teach us, that there is the

man into evil exercises. David had his perverfe inclination or taste enflamed, while God was out of view; fo that he did very great wickedness, But when he reflected upon his fin in the pref-fame preparation in the heart to ence of God, he was filled with anguish of spirit; and faid, My bones waxed old thro' my roaring all the day long' Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou haft broken may rejoice.'

all that the fcriptures say of regeneration is intelligible in this view; for that tafte is permanent, and whenever it is excited by contemplating God and the things which it relifkes, will put forth holy affections.--But were we to difbelieve any fuch thing as an holy tafte, and fuppofe the heart to be nothing but a fimple chain of moral exercifes, we muft neceffarily suppose, that there is nothing fpecial in regeneration, different in

ftill Every imagination of the thoughts of the heart is only evil continually." This is naturally accounted for, on the idea that they have an evil heart or tafte, which is a continual preparation to love fin and hate holiness, and that they have no other moral inclination; and that this remains independent of moral exercifes, and the foundation, faculty or principle of them; for in this cafe, the tree must always bring forth fuch fruit, or the heart fuch ex-kind, from that which takes place ercifes. But if no fuch corrupt at any other time, when God is taste or bias be fuppofed, recourfe pleafed to create an holy exercise must be had to fome hypothefis in the foul, after it had been emmore unnatural, and different from ployed in finful exercises; which the ordinary method of divine op-feems to be contrary to the reperations, by which God brings refentation, which the fcriptures about events by natural or moral give us, of the importance, and eaufes, fometimes called the laws efpecially of the peculiar nature of nature. And this hypothefis of regeneration. muft alfo contradict the fcripture representations, of corrupt ftreams, depending on a corrupt fountain, for their evil quality. It is believed, that this is no fmall evidence of a moral tafte, and of one which is corrupt.

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Further It is believed, that the fcripture representation of regeneration brings a ferious argument, in proof of the exiftence of a moral tafte. Regeneration is a change from fin to holinefs. In effecting this, God takes away the heart of stone, and gives an heart of flesh. It is an event never repeated in the fame perfon. In giving the new heart, God is reprefented as doing fomething for a man, which he never does again, and which is different from the ordinary operations of his fpirit, in carrying on the work of fanctification. And this correfponds with the idea, that regeneration is the communication of an holy tafte, which begins to exterminate the original corrupt tafte. And

The idea of moral tafte, as it has been explained, is also in perfect conformity to that which the fcriptures affert concerning two oppofite laws, or propenfities in the Chriftian. The old one is but in part taken away in this life, and a new one is created. This will therefore reasonably account for the inconftancy of believers. When objects adapted to please either tafte are brought near and contemplated, that taste prevails for the time. And the whole is perfectly intelligible, which otherwife would be a mystery. For Chriftians are conscious of one, and sometimes of an opposite class of moral exercises, as according to the idea of a moral tafte, they muft be, when the objects which please either tafte are out of view.

Moreover: The view we have taken of the fubject is calculated to imprefs on the mind the importance of the numerous directions, which God has given us, to avoid tempations, and to pray

that we be not led into them; which would not appear fo evidently important, if we rejected the idea of a moral tafte or difpofition of mind. It peculiarly fhows us the importance of avoiding the company and evil communications of the wicked, of meditating on the law of God, and of keeping the heart with all diligence. For according to the idea that Chriftians have two oppofite moral taftes or inclinations, which are excited and put in action by the objects which are fuited to give them delight refpectively, it is evidently of great confequence to make a covenant with our eyes and with all our fenfes, not to prefent us with the objects suited to inflame the finful tafte; and that we do not fuffer them to work upon our imaginations, left they hurry us into fin. And it is equally neceffary, that we keep those things in view continually, which please the holy tafte; that we may have holy affections, and be in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Thus we may fet the Lord always before us, and ponder the path of life.

and the use of means directed, that we are to expect that God will work in us, both to will and to do, by his special grace. In this way we are to give all diligence to make our calling and election fure.

Further: The view now taken of this subject peculiarly helps us to understand, how it is, that the truths revealed in the fcriptures are the food of the faints. They grow by the fincere milk of the word, and are edified by the use of all Chriftian inftitutions. These things excite holy affections in thofe who have an upright heart or moral tafte, ftrengthen it, call off the heart from objects of finful defire, fhow how evil and unfatisfying they are, and wean the heart from them. We have occafion to admire the mercy of God in the gift of his word and inftitutions, which fo often call our minds off from the objects which inflame the finful tafte, to meditate on thofe which captivate an holy inclination. Thus we have the fabbath weekly, and daily calls to family and clofet prayer; and are taught to addrefs God whenever we fit down to our food, often to read the fcriptures, attend the religious inftruction of children, and affociate with the peo

Befides: As the appetites of the body are weakened by long abfence of their objects, and men become gradually weaned from them, and as they are ftrength-ple of God. Thefe things feed ened by frequent gratifications; fo avoiding temptations and finful indulgencies tends to weaken and fubdue the corrupt tafte, and wean us from fin; and the conftant fense of the perfections of God, and the exercife of gracious affections naturally tend to ftrengthen an holy difpofition or tafte. Thefe confiderations fhould engage us to follow the directions we have received, to avoid temptation, and fet the Lord always before us. The way to conquer is to fly. And it is in obedience

the people of God, recover them from temptations, habituate them to holy exercifes, and fo weaken the power of the corrupt, and ftrengthen the good difpofition, And accordingly, where thefe helps are not enjoyed, or are too much neglected, Chriftians are fenfible of fpiritual decay. This alfo may be confidered as another evidence of the reality of a moral tafte.

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Again If there be an holy tafte, then believers will hunger and thirst after righteousness;